Make vibrant basil hummus at home and enjoy the bright fresh taste that store-bought hummus can’t replicate!
hummus is so perfect it feels like a sacrilege to mess with it
And I already have so many great variations on the site. But this was such a hit with everyone who tried it that I have to share. To be honest I surprised myself with this one. We bought basil hummus from our favorite Middle Eastern stand at the farmer’s market a couple of weeks ago and I wasn’t impressed. It had sort of a ‘canned’ flavor, not good.
you won’t find basil hummus in the supermarket
Some foods just can’t be commercially reproduced and basil hummus is one of them.
Two big fistfuls of beautiful fresh basil and a shot of lemon and I’ve got something so much better than anything I’ve ever bought, or ordered. The basil comes through with a really fresh clean flavor, and it reminds me of the huge difference between homemade and store bought pesto.
we ate our basil hummus with Grant’s signature seasoned baked pita chips
He doesn’t make many things in the kitchen, but these are a family favorite, and we all fight over them. He usually seasons his chips with just onion salt, but I added za’atar, a Middle Eastern herb blend that you may be able to find at your store. You can also buy it online, or make it a good substitute yourself by grinding dried thyme, sumac, salt and sesame seeds together. 101 Cookbooks has a good recipe, here. You can substitute dried thyme or oregano in a pinch.
Featured Comment:
I just made this and let me tell you something THIS IS THE BEST DAMN HUMMUS RECIPE I HAVE EVER MADE I make a lot of hummus too, Cheers to you and this recipe!
Vanessa
Fresh Basil Hummus
Equipment
- food processor or blender
Instructions
- Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Put them in the bowl of a food processor along with the smashed garlic clove. Process the chickpeas for several minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary. I like to process the beans first to get them as smooth as possible.
- Add the tahini and lemon to the puree and process briefly to combine. Then add the basil, and process for another couple of minutes, scraping down the sides as needed. You want it to be really smooth.
- Wile the machine is running, drizzle in some ice water to loosen the hummus. Season with salt and fresh cracked black pepper.
- Spread the hummus out into a shallow bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Serve with a drizzle of olive oil, a sprinkling of za’atar, sumac, or paprika, and a lemon wedge.
- To make the pita chips, set the oven to 350F.
- Cut the pita bread in small triangles and arrange on a baking sheet. Brush them with olive oil, and sprinkle lightly with onion salt, z’aatar, and sesame seeds.
- Bake for just a few minutes, watching carefully, until the bread it browned. Flip the triangles and bake for a few more minutes, but watch carefully. If you want them extra crispy, brush the second side with olive oil as well.
I wanted to love this recipe, but mine was bitter and was lacking something…maybe Parmesan cheese or pine nuts? I made it exactly as the recipe with no changes. It tasted like a weirdly odd- textured version of pesto. I’ll keep playing around with it.
You know it could be your basil ~ I find there are so many different varieties, and when I make pesto I notice a flavor difference sometimes.
I just made this hummus and ut was delightful. I had always wondered if basil would turn brown in hummus and was intimidated to try. Mine didn’t come out as bright green as yours, though. I used the recommended amount of basil, but next time I’ll add more.
I’m convinced that the lemon juice keeps it green, so be sure to use that!
Hello. Does this recipe hold for a few days? We’re going on a camping trip and I was thinking about making the basil hummus to bring for wraps. My concern is the basil turning black from being in the fridge.
Hummus definitely lasts, and the only question is the basil. Don’t forget the lemon juice, which will help keep the basil fresh. I would make it up to a day or so ahead.
Thank you Sue!
Absolutely, mind blowingly delicious recipe. I love hummus and I had a ton of basil so I thought has anyone combined the two and I found this recipe. All I can say is AMAZE BALLS!
Thanks so much!
I made this for a Mediterranean vegetable sandwich, which worked beautifully, but I have quite a bit left over and I’m wondering if you think it would work well with a mushroom pasta? Or a chicken pasta? Or a mushroom & chicken pasta? 🙂
Interesting, I’ve never combined hummus with pasta, ever! Let me know if you experiment 🙂